Yolen is home to three sentient races[2] and was the origin of all humans in the Cosmere, with the technical exception of Scadrial where life was created directly by the Vessels of Ruin and Preservation.[3] The original sixteen Vessels were from Yolen.[4]

Cosmere scholars like Khriss consider Yolen as the cosmere standard when describing the properties of planets, like their size and gravitation.[5]